s, there could not have been a greater commotion than arose
among the wedding-guests. Every man jumped up, turned in anger and
disgust towards his neighbour, sate down again, and again began to reach
after the food, without being able, of course, to get a morsel. Then
every man swore his neighbour was making a fool of him, and, from the
coarsest words, it came, without loss of time, to dreadful menaces and
blows. So greedy were some after the liquorish cookery that they gave
themselves good smart punctures in lip and tongue; inasmuch as the
mischievous dwarfs, as soon as any in his haste forked up a piece of
meat, incontinently had it down their own throats. With such
provocation, the blows, on all sides, came down in showers; more ears
were peppered, backs thumped, ribs punched, than the prize-ring of
England had ever seen. And, as if it were not enough for the men to be
sparring, the women, seeing their husbands covered with blood and
bruises, must needs take up the cudgels, and fall to fighting too! A
hundred arms were a-kimbo in a twinkling. Caps were dragged off, and
nails shown with amazonian spirit. There was a general melee; every soul
at the table was engaged in the contest. Marriage and bridal pair were
forgotten; and Klaus roared at the droll uproar till his throat smarted
again: for, not much to his regret, he soon enough became aware that his
enemies and his calumniators were the parties who were coming off second
best.

"This mutual threshing had lasted a good quarter of an hour, when a sign
from Stringstriker directed the bride-groom to scatter the yew-leaves.
In an instant the table was covered with them; and the guests, as if
bewitched, dispersed in grotesque groups, and remained transfixed. Every
eye was on the busy dwarfs. Klaus's godfather, crossing his legs, seated
himself upon the table, and began to scrape his fiddle. The earth
mannikins then arranged themselves in order, swung their broad hats
gracefully, and, one stepping upon the shoulder of another, built up a
living pyramid above the bride. A number clambered up to the very top of
her tinsel crown, where, still two and two, they took possession of a
spangle, fixed themselves upon it, and rocking to and fro, set up a soft
and tender song. The bride danced to its tune, the pyramid of dwarfs
along with her; and it was enchanting to see how their shining silvery
girdles, and the bright clasps upon their caps, flashed and sparkled in
the varying f